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NASCIO Releases "Profiles of Progress II: State Health IT Initiatives"

"State CIOs bring a valued perspective to health IT initiatives ... From their vantage point, they can see the enterprise-wide view and provide vision that is essential for the success of statewide health information exchange."

Today, NASCIO announced the release of Profiles of Progress II: State Health IT Initiatives. A product of NASCIO's Health IT Working Group, this updated compendium delivers a state-by-state "snapshot" that illustrates the states' progress in health information technology (health IT) implementation.

"This compendium reflects the rapid advancement of state health IT efforts," said Vermont CIO Tom Murray, Chair of NASCIO's Health IT Working Group. "Many of these highlighted initiatives have made great strides in a short time, indicating the growing importance of health IT to the states."

Health IT, though a relatively new phenomenon, has garnered considerable national and state attention since 2004 when President Bush issued a call for most Americans to have electronic health records by 2014.

Profiles of Progress II reveals that while this goal is still a long way from completion, concrete state health IT efforts have significantly increased the use of information technology in healthcare. The compendium also examines what role, if any, state CIOs are having in state health IT efforts.

"State CIOs bring a valued perspective to health IT initiatives," said Doug Robinson, Executive Director of NASCIO. "From their vantage point, they can see the enterprise-wide view and provide vision that is essential for the success of statewide health information exchange."